Physical writing systems which translate body movement into a physical mark have had great advantage in terms of facilitating free expression, but have presented challenges in conversion to electronic format. Much of the progression of techniques began with optical character recognition based upon scanning completed writings. Advances in this field were remarkable. However, much of the input was dependent upon framing, taking the whole of the written surface into account and making decisions about where one letter or word begins and ends. Current optical character recognition using typed characters from written documents has achieved a high state of fidelity. Hand written character conversion has achieved much less fidelity. Optical conversion of non characters into some other format has lowest fidelity.
It is clear from the foregoing that the best results may only be attainable by the ability to record and store complete frames of graphical data, especially to garner frame reference information. Devices which have enabled users to record such information have always generally required some multi-component electronic system to begin with. Most text documents are generated electronically, then converted to paper format, with the paper being optically scanned later.
Screen writing electronics have required a special pen which interacts with a specialized screen. Most of these types of devices are hand held and the screens have pressure detection devices to record the coordinates in essentially real time format based upon the repetitive strobing of the coordinates. The screens are of limited size and the resolution, and have a significant cost aspect.
Other systems have enabled users to write on specific, defined surface areas which have generally restricted writing area limits. Tracking the position of the writing tool has been done by sonic detection, optical detection and electromagnetic wave reception. All of these techniques have required a special pen which is configured to work with a special receiver which is mounted at a specific location relative to a defined area board.
Thus, these types of writing system detectors require a board, receiver, transmitter, and predetermined receiver location. The transmitter has to be specially configured to fit onto a special dry-erase pen, chalk or other marker, and in a way which maintains communication with the receiver. In some cases a switch or other indicator is needed to indicate the contact of the pen/transmitter to the board.
In one board system a receiver is placed at the corner of a whiteboard. That receiver uses infrared and ultrasound technologies to translate the pen movement into a signal detected by the computer. Others have attempted optical detection techniques where a specialized pen emits an electromagnetic or sound wave that would be deflected by micro structures built onto a specialized digital writing surface. By detecting the reflected light, the pen can be made to record its coordinate position on the paper. Hence, all existing products required special writing surfaces or attachments for the system to function.
What is needed is a system which will free itself, to the extent possible from the relatively large number of components mentioned above. Of the transmitter, receiver, board, defined mounting space, and required surface topology, if all but one can be eliminated, the progression toward high fidelity of reproduction, ease of use, and inexpensiveness can be bridged.